The Christian Martialist is primarily a defender of the faithful (one who in time of crisis puts himself between God's flock and danger). This blog is dedicated to those who voluntarily shoulder this burden.

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Monday, February 11, 2008

Christian Martialism on a Budget, 10

We are approaching the end of this series of posts. There are some subjects I have not touched (knife, stick, defense against multiple attackers), but if you follow the program I've laid out, you should have the basics of close quarters combat and handgun defense. You can build on that foundation later.

One area I've not yet addressed is warrior fitness. Strength training is, I believe, the key to warrior fitness. If you structure your strength training in terms of circuits and intervals, you can get a good cardio workout as a bonus. You can achieve this with 20-minute workouts 3-4 times per week, without barbells or other equipment.

The resource you'll need to accomplish this is John E. Peterson's Pushing Yourself to Power. It is a cornucopia of bodyweight exercises you can do anywhere, including cramped quarters. It also contains several short biographies & photos of some athletes, strongmen, and others who have built their strength and physiques through bodyweight-only training.

The photographic illustrations are detailed enough so you can see how each exercise is done. The text is easy to read and understand. And I know that it works, because over the past six months I have gained muscle (although I've cleverly camouflaged it underneath my personal survival food storage program -- er, fat).

Peterson professes faith in Christ, which is a plus, but his witness is more of the soft evangelical variety than the robust proclamations of, say, Luther or Knox. Nevertheless, to read a training book in a Gospel rather than a New Age or Buddhist context is refreshing.

One more important training topic I've not yet addressed has to do with the lower end of the scale of force: verbal techniques to deflect potential violence. For this I recommend George J. Thompson's Verbal Judo. I reviewed this book in "The Best Self Defense System, 4". It sells for $11.16, and you can get free shipping if you order it with the two books I mentioned above.

That brings your total expenditure to $98.38, just under the $100 budget for a year. You don't have to purchase everything at once, either. There is plenty of free material for you to work with, and you can expand your training as funds become available. The important thing is to train as well as to study. To become an accomplished Christian Martialist, you must do both.

One more post on this topic should do it. I want to list a few more free resources, and wind up this topic by asking for some discussion & reaction.

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Disclaimer:

The author of this blog does not advocate hate or unprovoked violence against any group. The purpose of this blog is to provide the very best information regarding philosophy, mindset training, and technique for the Christian in the context of defense. Nothing posted here should be construed as promoting or excusing hostile speech or acts toward anyone.

About Me

I'm just an old gravelbellied sheepdog at the feet of the Great Shepherd, and I find theology, Biblical studies and worldview issues fascinating. I am blessed with a godly (& patient) wife and four godly daughters (I would tell you how many grandchildren I have, but the number keeps changing). I sometimes go by the name of MacAvram, and I treasure memories of autumn afternoons at the shooting range with my barber